Earle Bruce

Earle Bruce was the head football coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes from 1979 to 1988. Bruce already had several ties to The Ohio State University. He was a graduate of the institution, having played on the football team, and he also had served as an assistant coach under Woody Hayes.

Bruce garnered the second best career record in Buckeyes football history, with eighty-one victories, twenty-six losses, and one tie. In his nine seasons as the Buckeyes' head coach, Bruce took the team to eight bowl games. He also won four Big-Ten Championships and lost the national championship to the University of Southern California by one point in his first season. He also won five games against the University of Michigan. Following the 1987 season, university officials terminated Bruce, desiring to move the Buckeyes football team in a new direction.

Bruce also held head coaching positions at Tampa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, and Colorado State. He has earned a combined record of 154 wins, ninety losses, and two ties, during his college career. Upon leaving Ohio State, Bruce became a radio sports analyst. In 2004, he returned to coaching, this time as the head coach of the Columbus Destroyers, Columbus, Ohio's, Arena Football team. Bruce coached the team's first season. Following the Columbus Destroyers' inaugural season, Bruce became Vice-President of Football Operations, and Chris Spielman became the team's new head coach.